This invention is concerned with a cutter head assembling tool for use with an electric dry shaver including a cutter head having inner and outer cutters respectively provided with hair shearing edges, and in which the inner cutter is removably insertable into the outer cutter. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a tool for spacing the inner cutter apart from the hair shearing teeth of the outer cutter while inserting the inner cutter into the outer cutter, to prevent cutter tooth damage attendant upon insertion of the inner cutter into the outer cutter.
In a cutter head of the type wherein the inner and outer cutters have hair shearing teeth, the cutter head includes one or more elongated outer cutters of hollow, transversely rectangular, cross-section, and a corresponding number of elongated inner cutters mounted for reciprocation within the outer cutters. Each of the outer cutters includes an upper wall, depending skirt walls and base spacer. The upper walls are each provided with a plurality of transversely extending, parallel, slots, for forming a plurality of parallel hair shearing teeth in the upper walls. And, each of the inner cutters includes an upper wall, lower wall and depending side walls, with the upper wall provided with a plurality of parallel hair shearing teeth.
Reciprocating motion is imparted to the inner cutters by a motor mounted within the shaver. To that end, each of the inner cutters is provided with a leaf spring, the ends of which are connected to the lower wall of the inner cutter. The leaf springs each include a contoured portion formed in the spring, midway between the ends of the spring, to engage a shaver motor arm. And, each of the base spacers of the respective outer cutters has an opening through which the motor arm and contoured portion of the spring protrude for engagement with one another.
The inner cutter is usually assembled within the outer cutter with the cutter head removed from the shaver. In some shavers the cutter head need only be raised to disconnect the cutter head from the shaver motor arm. To assemble the cutters, an end of the inner cutter is introduced into an end of the outer cutter. As a result of doing so, the spring connected to the inner cutter is partially compressed. Thereafter, by pushing the opposite end of the inner cutter inwardly of the outer cutter, and thus towards the opening in the base spacer of the outer cutter, the inner cutter is further inserted into the outer cutter, and the spring further compressed. The inner cutter is pushed into the outer cutter until the contoured portion of the spring is partially situated within the base spacer opening. With the contoured portion of the spring so situated, the inner cutter is positioned within the outer cutter with the hair shearing teeth of the cutters properly disposed in relation to one another for shearing hair. The spring thereafter expands within the outer cutter base spacer opening to automatically position the inner cutter within the outer cutter for engagement with the shaver motor arm. Upon mounting the cutter head on the shaver, or lowering the cutter head for connection to the motor arm, as the case may be, the spring is compressed by the shaver motor arm and may be reciprocated thereby, to reciprocate the inner cutter within the outer cutter for shearing hair.
In the course of introducing the inner cutters into the outer cutters, care must be exercised to be sure that the ends of the inner cutters do not contact the toothed walls of the outer cutters with which they are associated. The toothed walls are easily bent, pierced or otherwise damaged by exerting minimal forces thereagainst. Assuming an inner cutter has been initially introduced into an outer cutter, as the inner cutter is pushed inwardly of the outer cutter, care must be exercised to avoid cocking the inner cutter within the outer cutter with consequent damage to either the inner or outer cutter teeth. Thereafter, care must be exercised when positioning the inner cutter within the outer cutter to ensure proper alignment of the inner and outer cutter teeth, and introduction of the contoured portion of the inner cutter leaf spring into the outer cutter base spacer opening, as hereinbefore discussed. In the course of replacing inner cutters, shaver users must thus master a difficult inner cutter insertion procedure to insert and position the inner cutters within the outer cutters without damaging the hair shearing teeth.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a tool for use with an electric shaver, to facilitate inserting the inner cutters into the outer cutters.
Another object is to provide a tool for spacing the hair shearing means of an outer cutter from the inner cutter with which it is associated, as the inner cutter is inserted into the outer cutter.
Another object is to provide a tool for positioning an inner cutter within an outer cutter upon insertion of the inner cutter into the outer cutter.
A further object is to provide a tool for inserting an inner cutter into an outer cutter.
A still further object is to provide a tool for inserting and positioning an inner cutter within an outer cutter, while maintaining the hair shearing teeth of the inner cutter spaced apart from the hair shearing teeth of the outer cutter.
And another object is to provide a process which facilitates inserting and positioning an inner cutter into an outer cutter while protecting the teeth of the cutters from damage.